Not designed to be a laundry list of tax forms and packing lists like some other expat guidebooks, this clearly written paperback contains general guidelines to follow when moving or living abroad. It walks the reader through all the major and minor considerations in this chapter order: getting information and support, language, moving, culture shock, moving children, moving pets, adapting to the new environment, health and other special issues, spouses, and finally, maintaining a home base and re-entry. The guidebook gives you just the right amount of detail to make informed decisions, while not making the decisions for you. As the title claims, the guide is designed to turn the reader into an expert.

Describing the expatriate experience can easily devolve into a catalog of pitfalls and gripes, but the authors take a very positive and constructive approach. The authors do indeed state the problems that may, and probably will, arise, and then they go on to offer solutions that enrich the expatriate experience. Challenges such as language barriers, culture shock, even loss of income, are also presented as opportunities.

Is there hope for every expatriate? As The Expert Expatriate points out, a lot depends on an expat's flexibility and adaptability. No, the expat life is not for everyone. The authors point out when a spouse should not accompany the breadwinner, and even when divorce might be considered. But knowledge is power, and every section begins with wise counsel, which serves as a good roadmap for success.

Clearly, The Expert Expatriate is aimed at the first-time expatriate. It walks the reader through all parts of the main decisions to make before, during, and after a move. You can think of it as a "What to Expect when you're Expatting" type of guidebook.

Yet The Expert Expatriate is also a terrific resource for those already living in a foreign land. I suggest you keep a copy on your bookshelf just as a parent would keep a copy of Dr. Spock at home. It's great for times when you feel that you're getting a bit off track. I found myself nodding in concurrence, but also stopping to reconsider several aspects of my life.

It is amazing for this longtime expatriate to realize how many decisions and thoughts pass through the mind of a normal expat during the course of a day, much less a lifetime. This guidebook is an encyclopedia of most of those crucial decisions. The pages are replete with handy-dandy checklists to ensure that each topic is covered comprehensively. Even experienced expats will find something they've missed: I was reminded to buy a First-Aid kit to keep in my car.

Lastly, the book is great fun to read. It's not all authoritative advice, but a good balance between the prescriptive and the descriptive. Its pages are rich with anecdotes that are amusing and reassuring, while reinforcing the text. How can one ever forget the moment when Patricia Linderman suddenly found herself acclimated to Cuba while floating in a hotel pool during a power outage?

The world is becoming more connected every day, an argument for more and better-acclimated expatriates. The Expert Expatriate is a timely guidebook that goes a long way toward giving people the tools they need to conquer the world.

Purchase The Expert Expatriate from www.amazon.com . For more reviews of The Expert Expatriate, visit the book's website: www.expatguide.info.

Fritz Galt is a longtime expatriate and co-founder of Tales from a Small Planet. He has written many spy novels describing life abroad on many continents (see www.mickandnatalie.com).